


Nurse Sousuke

by otp_tears



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-04
Updated: 2016-01-04
Packaged: 2018-05-11 16:23:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5633218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/otp_tears/pseuds/otp_tears
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Makoto gets sick and Sousuke takes care of him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nurse Sousuke

**Author's Note:**

> This is for donamoeba on tumblr who requested Sousuke nursing Makoto back to health. I’m so sorry it’s late ;)
> 
> Big thanks to right---meow for the quick beta read! <3

Sousuke’s phone rang the moment he stepped inside of his apartment. He hadn’t expected to see Haru’s name on his screen. Even the rare text message from Haru would come from Makoto’s number.

He closed his door and answered.

“Have you talked with Makoto?”

Sousuke ignored the flutter of irritation. “No. Why?”

“He’s not answering his phone.”

“Is that odd?”

“Yes.” Annoyance filtered into Haru’s tone. “Go check on him.”

“What? Why can’t you?”

“I’m at training camp.”

“Right.” Sousuke toed off his shoes. “Makoto’s fine.”

Haru made a noise of annoyance. Sousuke glanced at the calendar hanging beside his kitchen’s entrance. He hadn’t marked the date, but Haru’s call paired with his concern touched a memory. “Makoto’s oral surgery,” Sousuke whispered to himself and touched the little white box from two days earlier. “Yeah. I’ll go check on him.”

 

* * *

 

Sousuke found Makoto’s apartment with little incident, and when his knock went unanswered, he used the spare key to let himself inside. “Makoto?” He called into the darkness. The shuffling of fabric and a quiet, whimpered moan answered.

He found the light switch and filled the room with light. Makoto made a soft noise of protest and ducked away from the sudden brightness. Sousuke crossed the room and knelt beside him. “Are you okay, Makoto?”

Makoto lowered the blanket. He didn’t look good. His face was flushed, his nose was runny, and his cheeks were puffy from the wisdom teeth extraction. He sniffled and turned his head. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine. Is this just from your surgery?”

“It’s a cold.” Makoto rolled to his side and closed his eyes. “I’m fine.”

Sousuke sighed. He wouldn’t just leave him alone with Haru away at camp, but he hadn’t come prepared for this either. “I’ll be right back.”

 

* * *

 

 

When Sousuke returned, Makoto clutched an unused tissue and stared at the ceiling. “Have you eaten?” Sousuke asked. Makoto shook his head and blinked. “I’ll prepare rice porridge soon, but you need to drink something.”

With minimal protests, Sousuke got Makoto to sit up, but he immediately slumped against Sousuke. Sousuke allowed it and offered Makoto the glass of water from the kitchen.

“I don’t—”

“Just drink.” Sousuke moved the straw closer and Makoto drank slowly. “You’re probably dehydrated too.”

“I’m fine,” Makoto said around the straw.

“I’m sure. Take this too.”

Makoto pulled away from the smell of medicine in syrup form, but his movements were slow and weak, and easily stopped by Sousuke. Makoto relented without another protest, and swallowed more water to clear the bitter taste.

“Thank you,” Makoto whispered and slipped back under his blanket. Sousuke brushed back Makoto’s hair, sticky from sweat, and applied a cooling pad. His elevated temperature didn’t seem too high and Sousuke hoped it stayed that way.

“You don’t have to help me,” Makoto murmured.

“It’s fine.”

“But I’m a big brother.” Makoto’s voice took on a quality Sousuke hadn’t known before. He sounded insecure, like how a young child would during an argument with a parent. “Ren and Ran need me.”

“They’re not even here.”

“But I’m a big brother now,” Makoto murmured weakly and Sousuke smiled. The fever rambling was cute in its own way.

“You’ll be fine, Makoto.”

“I feel terrible.”

“You’ll live.”

“Thank you for being here, Haru-chan.”

Sousuke frowned. He couldn’t blame Makoto for being confused, and he was still endearing even if he believed Haru was at his side. Sousuke let the name-slip go. It didn’t matter.

“I’m happy to be here, Makoto.” Sousuke reached out and ran his fingers through Makoto’s hair. “I’ll be in the kitchen. You need to eat something.”

“No mackerel,” Makoto whined.

“No mackerel,” Sousuke promised.

Makoto hummed in acknowledgement but his eyes were already closed.

 

* * *

 

Makoto opened his eyes. The only light in the room came from the kitchen. He rolled to his side and grabbed a tissue.

“Feeling better?”

Makoto startled but felt too weak to react. “Sousuke?”

“Yeah.”

“Why are you here?”

Sousuke moved from the desk chair to the floor beside Makoto. He removed the cooling pad from Makoto’s forehead and pressed the back of his hand against his skin. Makoto felt his temperature rise and hoped his blush would be blamed on his cold.

“You’re hot.”

“Sou—” Makoto turned his head and Sousuke took back his hand. “Where’s Haru?”

“He isn’t here. Do you think you can eat now?”

“Haru isn’t here?”

“No.” Sousuke reapplied the cooling pad. His touch was gentle and caring in a manner Makoto hadn’t expected. “I made rice porridge. You need to eat something.”

Makoto tried to nod, but the movement made the room spin. “Okay,” he whispered instead.

Sousuke left and returned with a bowl. “Can you sit up?”

Just the thought of movement exhausted Makoto. Instead of answering, he closed his eyes and tried to let sleep take him again.

“Makoto.” Sousuke said his name like a plea. Makoto grunted and pushed himself up to his elbows. Sousuke slid his hand onto his back and helped him up the rest of the way.

“You’ll get sick.”

“I might.” Sousuke supported Makoto and moved the bowl of porridge closer. “If I do, don’t cook for me.”

Makoto chuckled weakly. “I’ll have Haru make you mackerel.”

“Promise me you won’t.”

Laughter was too much energy, so Makoto smiled. “Promise.”

“Here.” Sousuke offered a small spoonful of the porridge. Makoto studied it, and felt his cheeks heat from the thought of Sousuke feeding him. Too tired and too hungry to protest, Makoto opened his mouth and accepted the food.

“I thought Haru came over,” Makoto said after he swallowed.

Sousuke offered Makoto another spoonful. “He’s at camp.”

“Oh. That’s right. So you helped me?”

“Yes.”

Makoto relaxed against Sousuke’s side. “Oh.”

“You eat out a lot.”

“Eh.” Makoto pulled away as much as his low energy would allow. “Not that much.”

“And you don’t have groceries. Not even basic essentials.”

“I—I’m busy. And I was on liquids after my surgery.”

Sousuke’s frown deepened, but he lifted the spoon for Makoto again. “You’re on your university’s swim team?”

“Yes.”

“If you don’t eat right, you’ll get sick again.”

“I know, but I can’t cook, and it isn’t fair to Haru to have him make all my meals.”

“I’ll do it.”

Makoto nearly choked on the next bite of rice porridge. Sousuke’s frown turned into confused worry. “T-that’s not nec—”

“It is necessary.” Sousuke returned the spoon to the bowl and picked up a glass of water. “And I don’t mind.”

“Okay.” Makoto felt warmer, but it was fuzzy like a cuddle from a cat instead of sickly like a fever. “I’d like that.”

Sousuke smiled and helped Makoto back down. “Get some more sleep.”

“Thank you, Sousuke.”

“You’re welcome,” Sousuke said quietly, stroking Makoto’s hair. His tender touch barely recognizable. Makoto smiled, happy Sousuke had been his nurse.


End file.
